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Decision delayed up to 60 days, as Karisa Wesley remains suspended with pay

Arnold High School teacher and ABCE representative Alexis Underwood addresses the Bay District School Board in Panama City on Tuesday.

Andrew Wardlow | The News Herald

By BRAD MILNER | The News Herald

Published: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 08:26 PM.

PANAMA CITY — The Bay District School Board on Tuesday postponed for up to 60 days a decision on whether to suspend without pay Arnold High School Athletic Director Karisa Wesley and ordered an independent investigation into allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a former student.

Wesley, 35, was suspended with pay Aug. 21 amid accusations of drinking and having sex with Eddie Williams during his senior year at Arnold in 2011-12. The district and Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigated the claims, which surfaced from an email sent by former Arnold teacher Peggy Rambosk Dawson to Arnold Principal Keith Bland. The email included a handwritten letter allegedly penned by another former Marlin student, Andre Allen.

The School Board was poised to vote on Superintendent Bill Husfelt’s recommendation to move toward termination. The first step was Tuesday’s vote on suspension without pay, which would have set up an administrative hearing within 21 days by Wesley’s request. Wesley remains suspended with pay until the new investigation is complete.

Wesley did not attend Tuesday’s hearing. She is being represented by the law firm of Meyer, Brooks, Demma and Blohm, P.A. in Tallahassee. She has denied the allegations but hasn’t returned calls for comment.

Audience members who spoke on the issue, as well as some board members, weren’t convinced there was enough evidence to move toward termination at this time. Board member Ginger Littleton made the motion to delay a decision for a minimum of 60 days. District attorney Franklin Harrison believed the investigation could be completed before then, possibly within 30 days, and the motion was amended to a maximum of 60 days and seconded.

PANAMA CITY — The Bay District School Board on Tuesday postponed for up to 60 days a decision on whether to suspend without pay Arnold High School Athletic Director Karisa Wesley and ordered an independent investigation into allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a former student.

Wesley, 35, was suspended with pay Aug. 21 amid accusations of drinking and having sex with Eddie Williams during his senior year at Arnold in 2011-12. The district and Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigated the claims, which surfaced from an email sent by former Arnold teacher Peggy Rambosk Dawson to Arnold Principal Keith Bland. The email included a handwritten letter allegedly penned by another former Marlin student, Andre Allen.

The School Board was poised to vote on Superintendent Bill Husfelt’s recommendation to move toward termination. The first step was Tuesday’s vote on suspension without pay, which would have set up an administrative hearing within 21 days by Wesley’s request. Wesley remains suspended with pay until the new investigation is complete.

Wesley did not attend Tuesday’s hearing. She is being represented by the law firm of Meyer, Brooks, Demma and Blohm, P.A. in Tallahassee. She has denied the allegations but hasn’t returned calls for comment.

Audience members who spoke on the issue, as well as some board members, weren’t convinced there was enough evidence to move toward termination at this time. Board member Ginger Littleton made the motion to delay a decision for a minimum of 60 days. District attorney Franklin Harrison believed the investigation could be completed before then, possibly within 30 days, and the motion was amended to a maximum of 60 days and seconded.

“We simply do not know whether she is guilty of these charges,” Littleton said. “We have done very little to get to the bottom of what happened. There’s no harm in taking time to do this.”

Littleton said that if Wesley “did what she’s accused of,” she would be the first to vote for her termination. Fellow board members concurred and said it is important to have more evidence before making a final decision.

Board member Ryan Neves noted a lack of pertinent interviews with individuals who possibly could refute the allegations. Tyler Beaver, who spoke before the board, claimed he was roommates with his girlfriend and Wesley at the time of the allegations. Beaver wasn’t interviewed by the district or BCSO.

Board member Steve Moss noted inconsistencies in statements Allen and Williams made to school district officials and to BCSO investigator Mitch Pitts. Williams denied the allegations concerning Wesley twice to Sharon Michalik, the district’s director of human resources, but admitted them to Pitts.

“The truth is somewhat hard to find in this case,” Moss said. “Having hard, concrete evidence would make it a lot easier from a board standpoint, but there isn’t. I wish it was more black and white is what I’m saying.”

Supporters speak out

Colleagues, former players, current students, friends and parents spoke in support of Wesley. There wasn’t a dissenting voice among the nine speakers as they received loud, long rounds of applause after leaving the microphone.

Supporters portrayed Wesley, also the head volleyball coach, as an outstanding teacher and mentor who turned around the program and made it one of the most successful in the area. They defended Wesley’s work ethic, dedication to her team and school, and helping players become well-rounded adults.

“She made us stronger,” former player Katie DeSantis said. “I could never imagine somebody with strong will and strong character to throw her life away.”

Wesley’s teachers union representative, Alexis Underwood, was among the most passionate of supporters.

“Many of us have no doubt that at the end of this process our teachers will be exonerated,” Underwood said. “Somehow the ‘he said’ has become more important than the ‘she said.’ Two young men, in my opinion and my opinion only, chose to lie.”

Underwood asked the board to “stand up for the character and integrity of every education professional who is in your employ.”

What’s next

Moss, Littleton and the other board members briefly discussed how the investigation could move forward.

Bland said he will advertise for an athletic director and interim head volleyball coach within the school for five days. If no one within the school applies, then he will advertise the positions in the district.

He reiterated that Arnold assistant volleyball coach Tara Lemieux, who also was named in Michalik’s district report as allegedly engaging in drinking and smoking marijuana either with or in the presence of Allen and Williams, is not a candidate for the interim job.

Bland had said he planned to advertise for the AD position regardless of Tuesday’s decision because Wesley and boys basketball coach Bobby Britton have admitted to being in a relationship. That is a violation of the district’s policy that forbids a supervisor-subordinate relationship and Bland previously said he was going to ask Wesley to step down as AD prior to the allegations involving Wesley and Williams were investigated.

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